Lemon’s are unbearably sour and erode your tooth enamel making your teeth vulnerable to cavities. So why do so many people ruin the refreshing quench of a cold glass of water with a bitter, teeth-destroying, mouth-puckering lemon? Well, the answer is; because they’re weird and they like it. Lucky for them, lemon juice does have its benefits… a lot of benefits. Lets investigate by cutting open a lemon and looking inside.
Lemons have high amounts of B and C vitamins. B vitamins keep your metabolism in check and help with the function of your nervous and immune systems. Vitamin C supports the immune system, is an essential for healthy skin, heals muscles and strengthens bones. These two vitamins are water-soluble which means drinking them with a glass of water escalates their bioavailability. Bioavailability is the rate at which a substance is absorbed and becomes available to the body.
Minerals in a lemon include copper, potassium, calcium and magnesium. These minerals are important for the growth of strong bones and monitoring high blood pressure. Lemon water has a low amount of calories and carbs, and has no fat, no cholesterol, and no sodium. This makes the bitter drink a better option for people following a low-carb or heart healthy diet.
Surprisingly, though they are acidic, lemons are very alkalizing (alkali is an acid neutralizing chemical substance). Lemons contain both citric and ascorbic acid which are both very weak acids. Therefore these acids are metabolized easily, allowing the lemon minerals to assist in alkalizing the blood.
Citrus flavonols in a lemon aid the digestive system. Lemon juice purifies the liver and helps the stomach through digestion and helps the bowels dispose waste. The lemon also decreases body mucus production and assists in dissolving gallstones. This being said, lemon water is a key ingredient in body detoxification.
So next time your waitress asks if you’d like lemon in your water, think about what you’re turning down before you say no (though I’ll still say no).
- http://myvega.com/vega-life/vega-blog/top-5-reasons-drink-lemon-water/
- http://www.livestrong.com/article/262431-what-are-the-nutrition-facts-on-one-serving-of-lemon-water/
- http://www.healthyandnaturalworld.com/8-health-benefits-of-drinking-lemon-water/
- http://www.thefreedictionary.com/bioavailability
I love adding lemon to my water! It tastes much more refreshing, and at the same time it is very beneficial for your health. I looked up some benefits of lemons because I always knew it was good for you, just not WHY. Lemons have strong antibacterial, antiviral, and immune-boosting properties. It also is a cleanser for your liver and digestive system. They are also full of vitamins such as calcium, magnesium and vitamin C which help boost your immune system greatly.
This was so interesting! I love lemon water and am always adding it to my cups of water. I didn’t know about these health benefits, I just liked the way it tastes. Something I found really interesting was the concept of “bio availability”. I didn’t know that it was possible for things to be better for you when drank with water. I tried to look up what other foods this happens with (I’m assuming this happens with other types of citrus – orange water anybody?) but I couldn’t find anything concrete.